Watch does not log anything correctly

[Tugoldens]

So for the past few weeks I have been trying to determine why my watch does not log steps, distance or sleep correctly. It has never logged sleep properly and regularly counts watching TV, Sitting down to eat, working at the computer as sleep. I get an average of 9+ hours of sleep/day according to the watch (reality is about 6).

I recently noticed that the step count on my walks was very erratic so I took along my phone using GAIA GPS making sure to manually start the watch and GAIA at the same time. GAIA consistently has my walk at 5 miles (which I know to be correct) but the watch has it between 3.7 and 4.7 miles with a step count between 7800 and 8600.

I have manually entered my stride length but this did nothing. I measured the stride length multiple times using a measuring tape over  an average of 10 steps.

The watch has the most up to date firmware. I wonder if all the other information is also incorrect??? The only thing I know is accurate is my heart rate as I have manually checked and it appears to be correct. I do have a low resting heart rate (50bpm) and I attributed that to the incorrect sleep recording…

The watch at this point is basically garbage (other than to tell the time).

[Julia_G]

Hi, @Tugoldens , there’s quite a lot to unpack here.  First, it is good to know that your Fitbit heart rate calculations seem to be correct.

As for distance, the Charge 6 can calculate it in two different ways.  If GPS on the Charge 6 is turned on, then it will ignore your stride length and your distance will be calculated using GPS.  If GPS is turned off, then stride length comes into play.

Calculating your stride length over 10 steps is not adequate.  To get the most accurate stride length calculations go to a place where the distance is known - for example a track, and walk a known distance, counting your steps as you go.  Ideally the distance should be something covered in at least 100 steps for most accuracy, because stride length calculation is only ever a rough guide. Your stride length will vary based on terrain and your own state of readiness on any given day.

The longer distance you measure, the more likely it will be correct.

When you have walked the full known distance of the track (say, 100 yards) counting your steps, then you simply divide the distance by the number of steps and that will be your stride length.

Alternatively your distance will be calculated using the GPS chip on your Charge 6 if you have that turned on.

To check whether your steps are being counted correctly, Fitbit recommends that you go outside and carrying nothing at all walk at your normal pace for 100 steps, allowing your arms to swing naturally by your side.  Note the starting and ending step counts detected by your Fitbit.  The accuracy should be approx 95%, meaning that if you have taken 100 steps exactly your Fitbit should have recorded 95 - 105 steps.

Let us know the results of these calculations so that we can advise further.

There is always someone here to help, but as much information as possible helps to get to the bottom of any issues.

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